Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Innovative cleaning protocols for the dairy industry

Wahren, Jonatan LU orcid ; Lipnizki, Frank LU orcid ; Lewerentz, Frida LU and Glantz, Maria LU orcid (2025) Fouling and Cleaning in Food Process 2025 p.471-474
Abstract
Industrial dairy membrane processes require frequent cleaning due to hygienic and regulatory demands and lowered efficiency, caused by fouling. This decreases the membrane life cycle and consumes large volumes of rinsing water and cleaning solution.
Therefore, the aim of this project is to increase the understanding of membrane fouling and cleaning and to apply this knowledge to develop more energy efficient cleaning protocols for the dairy industry.
Initially, ultrafiltration and microfiltration experiments using sweet whey and skim milk as reference dairy process streams will be conducted to investigate the effects of fouling and cleaning on membrane flux and energy consumption.
Both fouling on the membrane surface and... (More)
Industrial dairy membrane processes require frequent cleaning due to hygienic and regulatory demands and lowered efficiency, caused by fouling. This decreases the membrane life cycle and consumes large volumes of rinsing water and cleaning solution.
Therefore, the aim of this project is to increase the understanding of membrane fouling and cleaning and to apply this knowledge to develop more energy efficient cleaning protocols for the dairy industry.
Initially, ultrafiltration and microfiltration experiments using sweet whey and skim milk as reference dairy process streams will be conducted to investigate the effects of fouling and cleaning on membrane flux and energy consumption.
Both fouling on the membrane surface and inside the membrane structure will be studied using techniques like ATR-FTIR, SAXS and tomography to map the structure and composition of the membrane fouling. Furthermore, these experiments will be supported by advanced analysis techniques, such as ellipsometry, confocal microscopy and SEM-EDS to study the membranes before and after different subsequent cleaning steps.
Data on membrane fouling and cleaning will be integrated into mathematical models to predict membrane fouling and cleaning behaviours. These models will be used to develop and optimize new cleaning protocols with the goal to reduce the energy, water and chemical consumption. Overall, this approach will improve the sustainability of dairy membrane processing and increase fundamental knowledge and understanding of membrane fouling and cleaning mechanisms.
(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to conference
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Membrane processes, Dairy industry, Fouling, Cleaning
pages
4 pages
conference name
Fouling and Cleaning in Food Process 2025
conference location
Dresden, Germany
conference dates
2025-03-25 - 2025-03-27
project
Innovativa rengöringsprotokoll för hållbara och energieffektiva membranprocesser i mejeriindustrin
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
4ee749cc-12a0-48d4-8f82-4e43e991a42e
date added to LUP
2025-12-30 20:56:58
date last changed
2026-01-23 07:25:38
@misc{4ee749cc-12a0-48d4-8f82-4e43e991a42e,
  abstract     = {{Industrial dairy membrane processes require frequent cleaning due to hygienic and regulatory demands and lowered efficiency, caused by fouling. This decreases the membrane life cycle and consumes large volumes of rinsing water and cleaning solution.  <br/> Therefore, the aim of this project is to increase the understanding of membrane fouling and cleaning and to apply this knowledge to develop more energy efficient cleaning protocols for the dairy industry.  <br/>Initially, ultrafiltration and microfiltration experiments using sweet whey and skim milk as reference dairy process streams will be conducted to investigate the effects of fouling and cleaning on membrane flux and energy consumption. <br/>Both fouling on the membrane surface and inside the membrane structure will be studied using techniques like ATR-FTIR, SAXS and tomography to map the structure and composition of the membrane fouling. Furthermore, these experiments will be supported by advanced analysis techniques, such as ellipsometry, confocal microscopy and SEM-EDS to study the membranes before and after different subsequent cleaning steps. <br/>Data on membrane fouling and cleaning will be integrated into mathematical models to predict membrane fouling and cleaning behaviours. These models will be used to develop and optimize new cleaning protocols with the goal to reduce the energy, water and chemical consumption. Overall, this approach will improve the sustainability of dairy membrane processing and increase fundamental knowledge and understanding of membrane fouling and cleaning mechanisms.<br/>}},
  author       = {{Wahren, Jonatan and Lipnizki, Frank and Lewerentz, Frida and Glantz, Maria}},
  keywords     = {{Membrane processes; Dairy industry; Fouling; Cleaning}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{03}},
  pages        = {{471--474}},
  title        = {{Innovative cleaning protocols for the dairy industry}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}